Eminences, excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, dear friends, on behalf of the Community of Sant’Egidio I warmly welcome you all to the opening of this international peace meeting 100 years after the beginning of the First World War, under the title: “ Peace is the future”.
Ik groet hartelijk de vele Antwerpenaren die met interesse en sympathie het werk van Sant’Egidio voor de armen en de vrede volgen en helpen realiseren. Reeds vele jaren spannen wij ons in om de geest van Assisi, die een geest is van vriendschap tussen de godsdiensten, in deze stad en in ons land tot een wervend project te maken. We hebben verlangend uitgekeken naar deze grote internationale bijeenkomst “vrede is de toekomst” die we nu willen ontvangen en koesteren als een gave en bemoediging om de kunst van het samenleven te versterken.
Rivolgo un benvenuto affettuoso a tutti gli amici della ctà di Sant’Egidio che sono venuti numerosi dall’Italia, dalla Francia, dalla Germania,dalla Spagna, dal Portogallo, da diversi paesi africani, ma anche dall’Ucraina e dalla Russia. Chi cercava un po’ di “fresco nordico” resterà deluso, perchè l’arrivo della vostra amicizia sembra aver aperto pure il cielo chiuso…
Ladies and gentlemen, for almost 30 years men and women of different religions gathered in the spirit of Assisi in a particular city to dialogue, to face the challenges of our time in order to find the way of living together peacefully. At this time of high international tensions, we feel inside us and hear around us an increasing need of profound meetings like this. More than ever, we are aware of the precious gift of the spirit of Assisi for our world. The Opening Assembly as well as the many interesting panels open to the public are meant to be an offer to those who look forward either with concern or expectantly to affirm peace in our globalised 21st century. We have high expectations of the prestigious panel of speakers I warmly welcome here.